Track-sander.



J. H. HNLON. i

TRACK SANDER. APPLIUATION FILED APB.4,1907.

` Patented Dgo. 8, 1908.

. L@ v NM mi -Uuv y.. M if fw f 4 d@ 4% E w/ ion.

, JOHN HANLON, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

TRACK-SANDER.

To lill whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. HANLON,

, citizen of the United States, residing at Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and-State of hlassachusetts, havev invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Track Sanders, of which the following is a specitication, reference being had'therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has for its object to produce a track sander of the kindsometimes known.

as an outside sander which sha-ll not be subject to the difficulties heretofore arising iu the employment of these sanders.

Outside sanders are adapted to be removed from the sand box from the outside, `so that they may be cleaned without removing the sand from the box, as has heretofore been necessary with most inside Sanders, s`o far as is now known to me. My improved outside sander may be readily 'applied to almost any sand box, it only being required to drill a single hole in the wall or.casing of the box.

In my improved sander, the air discharge nozzle is provided with means for collecting any scale, dirt or oil ina trap, thus preventing it from reaching the air discharge nozzle, and the nozzle may be readily removed and cleaned if it becomes clogged. If any small obstructions like pebbles accumulate in the sander orat the entrance of the sand dis charge pipe, they may also beV readily removed. All cleaning operations may be performed without removing the sand from the box.

The invention will be fullyunderstood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof are pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of the specification.'

Referring to the drawings-Figure 1 is a plan view of a sander embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section similar to that in Fig. 2, but with the cover and air discharge nozzle removed.

ln the dra\\'ings,--'l`here is indicated at 11 the vall of the sandbox in which a hole is drilled and tapped to receive the sander body 12. This hole is ina-de very low down on the sand box, so that practically all the sand in the box nlay be used before it is necessary to refill it. The sander body 12 is screw threaded, as shown at 13 for engagement with the hole in the Vall 11, and the Specification of Letters Patent.l i

Application filed. April-4, 1907. Serial N o. 366,286.

PatentedV` Dec. 8, 1908.

said sander body 12 projects inwardly into?.Vv

the interior of the said box for any convenient distance, preferably, however, for a distance such that. the sand will not run out by gravity. f, for instance, the sand lies at an angle of degrees7 the horizontal portion 14 ofthe interior of the sander body will be ot a length equal to or greater than the diameter of the said interior projecting portion 14.

The sand discharge pipe 15 is connected to the said body 12 on the lower side of the said body at a convenient angle and cleair out opening provided with a plug 16 is located directly above it.v The said cleanout plug extends only a short distance into the opening 17 in the body 12 in which it is received, so as to permit sandI to collect in the said opening 17 and form a. cushion or vlouii'er which eifectually prevents undue wear of the parts opposite the air discharge nozzle.

. On the upper' side of the sander body l2, there is an opening 40 which is closed by a cover 18 held in place by the bolts 19 and 2() (see Fig. 1). Attached to this cover or preferably cast integral with it is the air inlet 21 attached to the outer end of which is the air pipe 22. The said air inlet 21 ter# minates at its inner end in av trap 23 closed by a screw plug 24, the said trap 23 being slightly below the level of the air discharge aperture. Any bits of scale or oil, or flakes of grease or dust such as are likely to be in-v troduced into the air pipe 22 'from the air pump or other source of air. supply, are deposited in this trap, and are not likely to find their way into the air discharge aperture.

The air inlet 21 is formed with aV recess 25 through the wall of which is drilled the air discharge aperture or nozzle 26, through which the air is discharged from tne air pine 22 into the interior of the sander casing 12. Within the said air aperture 26, l preferably locate a vibrator 27 provided with a looped end carried on a cross wire 28. This vibrator. is caused by the discharge ot' the compressed air through the air passage, to move rapidly or Hutter, and tends to prevent any foreign substances from lodging in the air discharge aperture and also to loosen any obstriutions which have lodged there. The said air discharge aperture 2G'is located 'directly opposite the sand cushion formed in the opening 17. so that a minimum wear of the parts is produced. Y

The interior of the sander casing 12 is soY - engine is thrown out of its level position on curves of high elevation. The sand is drawn into the body of the sander through the open interior end of the sander, and also througlra hole` or slot l1 (see Fig. 3) cut in the bottom of the interior end of the sander just back of the point where the sander body engages the wall of the box. This hole takes the sand from the bottom ot the box, and makes it po: ible for the sander to use nearly all the sand in the box.

If, for any reason, the air discharge aperture becomes clogged, through the presence of foreign substances in the air inlet pipe, 1t may be quickly' and easily cleaned by unscrewmg the an' pipe and ren'ioving the .cover 1S, after which the air inlet may bc Withdrawn and the foreign substances taken out and the air nozzle cleaned by the removal of the plug 2-l at the back ol the trap E23. In case the interior of the sander body becomes clogged by ther presence of pebbles, roots or librous material in the sand, it may usually be cleaned by removing the plug 1G after the cover 18 and attached inlet 21 have bcenremoved or if the foreign substances 'cannot be removed by this means, the sand discharge pipe 15 may be disconnected and the sander body unscrewed from the box.-

This arrangei'nent of parts enables the user of the sander to keep it in perfect Working order for the discharge of the required amount of sand to the Wheels of the locomotive for a very large percentage of the time, and the time lost by cleaning the sander and the danger resulting from the sander being out of operative condition are both reduced to a minimum.-

What I. claim is:

1. In a track sander and .in combination with a sander body, an air inlet pipe, an air nozzle and a trap in the said air pipe to re# ceive and collect foreign substances therein.

2. In a -track sander and in combination with a sand box and a. sand discharge pipe, a sander body having an opening exterior to the sand box, an air inlet pipe extending through the said opening to a portion of the sander body which is within the sand box having an air discharge opening facing avray from the sand ,box and a trap at its inner end to receive and collect foreign sub,- stances in the air pipe.

In a track sander and in combination with a sand box and a sand discharge pipe,

a. sander body having an opening exterior to the sand box, an air inlet pipe extending through the said opening to a portion -of the l l l i recense having an opening' at its extreme inner end and a. plug closing the said opening' and forming a trap to receive and collect foreign substances in the air pipe, and having an air discharge aperture opposite the said trap and facing away from the sand box.

il. In a track sander and in combination With a sand-box and a sand discharge pipe, a sander body mainly exterior to the sandbox and having an opening in said exterior portion, a cover. for said opening and an. air inlet pipe passing tl'irough said cover to en- ;cr the interior of the .sander body.

'5. In a track sander and in combination with a sand box and a sand discharge pipe, a sander body having an opening exterior to the sand box, a cover for said opening, and an air inlet pipe integral with the said cover extending' to a portion of the sander body which within the said sand box and provided with an air discharge aperture facing the said sand discharge pipe.

G. In a track sander, the combination with a sand box 4and a sand discharge pipe of a sander body mainly exterior to the sand box, but having its inner end opening into the sand box and having a cleanout opening on its upper side exterior to the sand box, an air inlet entering the sander body through said cleanout opening on the upper side of the sander body, and having an air discharge aperture facing the said sand discharge pipe.

7. In a track sander, the combination with a sand box and a sand discharge pipe, of a sander body mainly exterior to the sand box, but having its inner end opening into the sand box and having an opening on its upper side exterior to th sand box, said sander body also being provided with a sand cushion, an air inlet entering the sander lbody through the said opening on the upper at an angle with the' side of the sander body horizontal, and having a horizontal air discharge aperture facing the said sand cushion. i 8. In a track sander, the combination with a sand box and a sand discharge pipe, of a sander body mainly exterior to the sand box, but having an open inner end extending into the sand box, an air discharge nozzle within the said sander body, and a rib Within the said sander body and disposed transversely thereof in front of and below the air discharge nozzle to prevent the discharge of sand by gravity into the sand discharge pipe.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN H. HANLON. Vvitnesses GEORGE I. .Drxn Josnrnnvn Lone. 

